Unbound: Freedom in a Digital WorldParaugs

With this phrase, "whatever happens," Paul moves from self-reflection to admonishment for the Philippian church (1:27, NIV). This is the translation of the single word "monon." This word means "only" or "alone," but it takes on a different understanding in this present context. The ESV and NASB use "only," while the HCSB uses "just one thing." The idea is that the Philippians should focus on one thing alone: living worthy of the gospel. Stephen Fowl's translation in his commentary carries the idea well, "Do this one thing: Order your common life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."

What great advice for understanding how we should engage with our phones! What great advice for how we should order every aspect of our lives!

The phrase "order your common life" is such an interesting and intriguing translation of the Greek word, "politeuesthe," which the NIV renders as "conduct yourselves." You can see at the stem of this word is "polit," where we get our word "politics."

In 1954 the scholar Raymond R. Brewer wrote an influential article on this word. He explored the background and common usage of the word and drew two conclusions. First, he noticed that this word is not Paul's common word when talking about Christian living. Paul usually describes Christian living with the word "walk" or "live." He uses both of these words seventeen times apiece in his letters. Yet, Paul uses the word "politeuo" and its related form "politeuma" only in Philippians 1:27 and 3:20. He doesn't use it a single time elsewhere in any of his letters! Paul doesn't usually describe Christian living in this way.

Second, Brewer demonstrates that this word was often used to describe how a person was expected to live as a Roman citizen. His conclusion is startling. "The occurrence in these Philippian passages of [politeuo] hardly seems to be either accidental or incidental; they seem to be chosen deliberately and for a good reason." Paul seems to have employed these words to say, Continue to discharge your obligations as citizens and residents of Philippi faithfully and as a Christian should, but do not yield to the patriotic pressure to give to Nero that which belongs to Christ alone. "Remember that while you are members of a Roman colony, you are also a colony of heaven from which you are awaiting the return of your divine Lord and Savior."

Paul's encouragement to the Philippians is so powerful for us still today. In our society, under our democratic political system, there is an expectation of how a person should live. We are to be engaged and involved with what is happening in our world so that we might wisely help direct and guide the direction of our government. Social media is one way we currently engage and involve ourselves, and it is often accessed on our cell phones. This is one way we live out our obligations as citizens and residents of our nation.

Yet, Paul reminds us today that our first obligation is not to our nation or social media. Our primary responsibility is to live worthy of the Gospel of Christ. It is the one thing most important. We get off kilter when those allegiances are out of balance as Christians.

This is where Paul's concept of the "politeuo" or "ordering your common life" is so important. When we have not properly ordered our day-to-day life, it becomes so easy for secondary allegiances to take over. What is a common rule of life for your relationship with your phone? Have you ever intentionally thought about when you should access your phone? What time of the day should you first pick it up or finally put it away?

Practice ordering your common life today by intentionally thinking about when and where you want to access your phone or when and where you want to limit access to your phone. It will be easy during this thought process to find excuses to have your phone always within arm's reach. But I encourage you to be honest with yourself about how that nearness can easily promote a common life centered around your phone instead of Christ.